Fletcher
Posts: 3386
Joined: 10/26/2006 From: Jerez, Spain, EU Status: offline
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FROM: VADM. CHUICHI NAGUMO, 1ST AIR FLEET CINC. ABOARD HIJMS AKAGI. GILBERT WATERS. TO: ADM. ISOROKU YAMAMOTO, COMBFLEET CINC. KURE. SUBJECT: COUNTERSTRIKE AT GILBERTS DATE: JUNE 18TH, 1942 HIGH PRIORITY MESSAGE / EYES ONLY / 1. DIRECTION OF OPERATIONS BY THE COMMANDER AND HIS MOVEMENTS The 1st Air Fleet departed Truk at 0600 14th June. Maintaining strict anti-sub screen and a rigid radio silence, the force headed for the area to the northwest of Arorae Island following course 140 as given in 1st Air Fleet Secret OpOrd#5. On June 16th all ships were refueled by CombFleet Oilers before steam into the "yellow route 1". Visibility steadily increased the last two days in our transit with good weather for long range naval search missions. Visual signal coul be employed during this period with not problems. On June 18th, E7K2 recon flight from HIJMS TONE reported: " Enemy Task Force with 1 Battleship identified off Arorae, several minor warships around her ". At 10:25Z on the 18th, under command of flight officer of the Akagi, Organization #2 with 21 B5N2 from HIJMS AKAGI - HIJMS KAGA take off escorted by 43 A6M2. Our striking wave reported: "ENEMY BATTLESHIP STRUCK BY ONE TORPEDO AMIDSHIP, TWO DESTROYERS AROUND HER, A LIGHT CRUISER -4 STACKS- ATTACKED TOO. A SECOND WAVE IS A MUST. NO ATTACK TRANSPORT IDENTIFIED OFF ARORAE". With No enemy CAP over our target, the main threat was under cover. Where were the enemy carriers?. A massive naval search operation was planned at once, like bellow: - Between 10:30Z - 12:50Z, 2 float planes each from HIJMS TONE - HIJMS CHIKUMA (distance 300 miles, to the left 60), and 1 Type-95 Float Recon from the HIJMS KUMANO - HIJMS MOGAMI - HIJMS SUZUYA - HIJMS MIKUMA took off to in search of enemy task forces to the South and to the East. Our second attack wave with 12 B5N2 and 12 D3A1 reported: 6 bombs struck USS PRESTON, another 3 bombs hit on USS SMITH. Both destroyers heavily damaged. Battleship was not spotted. A Third wave was ready at CARDIV 5 with 24 B5N2 from HIJMS ZUIKAKU. Escorted by 33 A6M2, our pilots reported bomb hits over an enemy destroyer (USS PRESTON identified). The fourth wave from CARDIV 2 with 37 B5N2 from HIJMS HIRYU - HIJMS SORYU - HIJMS ZUIHO reported torpedo hits on two enemy destroyers, both of them sent to bottom. 2. OWN LOSSES 05 B5N2 were lost by Flak in our first wave against USS MISSISSIPPI. Enemy Battleship probably withdrawing to east - south east at flank. 3. NEXT STEP Our Carriers will be reinforced by MOBILE FORCE tomorrow, and we will seek and destroy enemy task forces around Southern Gilberts. After the destruction of enemy carrier in the area, Arorae will be come back to the Stone Age under a rain of bombs from our Striking Force. IJA forces have been deployed under XVII ARMY and put at readiness condition to be shipped if needed. 4TH FLEET CINC reported enough landing ships are available to embark the forces from LTGEN HYAKUTAKE. I hope to announce tomorrow a great victory for the Glory of our Empire and his Highness the Emperor ! LONG LIVE TO THE EMPEROR ! END//
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